Dystopia
by Machismo
Summary: The TARDIS is drawn to an alien planet by a distress signal. On arrival, the TARDIS crew discover a dystopian society, where the civilians live in fear of their Guardians. What are their motives? Why are they so obsessed with Amy? And who is in charge?
1. Introduction

**Disclaimer: **This is the part where I say I don't own Doctor Who, it's characters etc. To be honest, I don't see the point in this part, if I owned Doctor Who, I wouldn't be writing on FanFiction. ;)

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**Plot: **This story marks Amy Pond's first trip to an alien planet, after the TARDIS is drawn there by a distress signal. When Amy and the Doctor arrive, they find that everything about the planet is wrong and it's inhabitants live in fear of the mysterious Guardians and their enigmatic leader. From there, the TARDIS crew is drawn into a deadly battle for survival.

Why are the civilans so terrified of their supposed Guardians? What is their fascination with Amy?

Find out the story of Dystopia in my second Doctor Who fanfic.

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For the purpose of the story, let's imagine this is Amy's first trip to an alien planet. Thanks very much.


	2. New World

Amy Pond was bored. She was sitting next to the TARDIS console, with her chin resting on the palm of her hand, staring into space, whilst the Doctor was buzzing around her, like a moth around a bright light. In an attempt to make conversation, Amy had asked the Doctor a perfectly harmless question.

"Doctor? How does the TARDIS work?"

At that point, the Doctor span around in his place with an ear-to-ear smile, as if he was waiting for the question to be asked. Amy instantly regretted her decision to ask that question. From there, the Doctor went into a long-winded explanation, full of scientific concepts, techno-babble and even a poorly drawn diagram on the back of a notepad. It had been twenty minutes since Amy had spoken. The Doctor was still going.

"...taking into account the various theories of the Gallifreyian physicists, you would think it would have been a simple adjustment, right? Well, wrong. In fact, it took nearly three millennia to adjust the calculations needed for the TARDIS to take flight…"

However, the Doctor's eager answer was interrupted by a booming noise, similar to a siren, which resonated through the TARDIS' corridors and startled Amy from her day-dreaming. She sprang to her feet to join the Doctor, who was pressing buttons and flicking switches in a wild frenzy.

"Doctor, what's happening?"

"Umm… well… it's clearly… I don't actually know."

"What do you mean, you don't know?" said Amy in a raised voice, as she competed with the siren, which was still as loud as when it started.

"I'm a new man with a new TARDIS! A new TARDIS which makes new noises, so when I say I don't know what the loud noise is, I'm completely serious!"

"You must have an idea, Doctor, I mean, what buttons are you pressing?"

"I am trying to find some kind of mute button, but no such luck!"

"Doctor, I hate to be pushy, but it's still going!"

The Doctor stopped pressing random buttons and stepped away from the console. He started to mumble, even closing his eyes to be with his thoughts. After a brief period of time, he leapt into action and ran across the console room, with Amy close behind. She was quick to ask the Doctor what he was doing. He started to explain himself, whilst examining the various features of the TARDIS' wall.

"Judging by the volume of the noise, the duration of each sound wave, as well as the length of time between each one, it could be one of three things. One, that sound represents an incoming signal from somewhere in both space and time. Option two, the TARDIS has drifted into a supernova and is about to be incinerated."

As soon as the Doctor had mentioned the word, 'incinerate', Amy's expression changed, her eyes opened wider and she turned very pale.

"OK… what's option three?"

But, option three didn't matter, because the Doctor had found a subtle switch on the TARDIS' wall and with a triumphant look on his face, the siren had stopped. Silence fell on the ship. Amy was relieved. The noise had stopped and they hadn't been incinerated.

"I'm guessing it wasn't the second option, Doctor. And judging by the fact that you haven't told me what option three was, I think it was an incoming signal. Am I right?"

The Doctor looked impressed at Amy's deduction and nodded his head in agreement.

"So, whose signal is it?" pressed Amy.

"Well, I'm good enough to have remembered the size of each sound wave in that signal, so if I input the data into the TARDIS, it can convert each sound wave into a set of universal co-ordinates! Co-ordinates we can follow!"

The Doctor did exactly that, as he used the typewriter on the TARDIS console to input a string of numbers and symbols onto the screen. Within seconds, the conversion was completed and the console pinged in confirmation. With one eager movement, the Doctor pulled back on a lever and both he and Amy were thrown backwards by the TARDIS' radical movement. The room started to shake uncontrollably, as the wooden box was pulled through time and space by the unknown signal. After a minute of flight, the TARDIS came to a sudden stop and the room was quiet once again. They had landed.

Amy made her way to her feet, using the edge of the console to pull herself up. The Doctor had managed to hang on; a seasoned veteran of TARDIS travel. He was looking at the monitor on the console, as Amy joined his side.

"Where are we? Anywhere interesting? Like Mars, I'd love to go there! "

"You ask a lot of questions, Amelia. Questions that are irrelevant to the fact that we have landed on a much better planet."

"Better? Have you been to Mars then?"

The Doctor turned his head to look at Amy. His eyes tightened and he laughed at her.

"I am 907 years old. I have seen most things that will happen or have already happened, across the universe. Of course I have been to Mars. Instead, we have landed on a planet that you didn't know existed, far across space from planet Earth. A real alien landscape, with alien life and alien bacteria and alien settlements."

Amy's eyes lit up at the Doctor's glowing description of the world outside the TARDIS doors. Everything she had dreamt about as the Scottish child in the English village was coming true. She was just seconds away from stepping onto a new world. The thought was running through her head. Her imagination was running wild. She snapped out of her dream world to find the Doctor standing at the TARDIS doors, clicking his fingers in an attempt to get Amy's attention.

"Pond… Pond! POND! AMELIA POND!"

Amy quickly turned and eagerly ran to join the Doctor, slamming the TARDIS door open to run outside in a child-like manner. The Doctor tried to stop her but she had gone.

"Wait! Amy! There might not be a stable atmosphere!"

The Doctor leapt through the door to join Amy outside, chasing after the very eager girl…


	3. The Ascent

The Doctor left the safety of the TARDIS to chase after Amy, who had run to explore her first alien world. As soon as he stepped outside the blue box, the Doctor was met by a scorching heat that caused immediate perspiration. The sky was an emerald colour, with no clouds or precipitation in sight. Twin suns shone down on the planet surface, baking the rocky floor in a haze of heat-waves. Removing his jacket and loosening his bow-tie, the Doctor joined Amy, whose energy had been sapped by the intense temperature. He put his hands on her shoulders and turned her to face him.

"I know this is all new to you, but I have three very specific rules for space travel, Miss Pond. The first rule… I go first, to check the surroundings for any threats. Number two, you listen to my every word, it could be very important."

The Doctor's tone of voice reminded Amy of when teachers used to tell her off at school, usually for not listening to their lessons, instead choosing to draw doodles of the raggedy Doctor-man.

"And the last rule, Miss Pond… always… always have fun."

Amy smiled and hugged the un-expecting Doctor; her happiness causing her to lift the Doctor off the floor. He laughed, brushed his shoulders, before taking her hand to enthusiastically begin their first alien exploration.

The TARDIS had landed in the middle-of-nowhere; miles of land surrounded it with no sign of life. The Doctor was using his sonic screwdriver to track the signal that had attracted them to the planet in the first place, following the beeps of the device in the direction of the signal. They started to move across the large desert-like area, slowly but surely. The heat wasn't letting up and after a solid period of walking, dehydration and fatigue had started to set in. They were forced to retreat into a small cavern, built in the surface of a large cliff-face that stood in their way. Tired and thirsty, they stumbled onto the floor of the cavern to enjoy the shade. The Doctor removed a bottle of water from his jacket to hand to Amy, who gulped at the liquid like a horse at a trough.

"Doctor? You said your last rule of space travel was 'always have fun'? Well, this is not fun."

"What do you mean, this isn't fun? Are you or are you not on an alien planet?"

"Yeah sure, but it doesn't look much like an alien planet. I was expecting all of those things that you mentioned, like alien life and buildings and stuff."

"Oh no, not on this planet. It's a designated Category 1 planet, meaning that there is very little to no life. That's why I am so interested in this signal. Someone or something is trying to get our attention. And that would be impossible."

Amy looked confused.

"Wait, have you been to this planet before then, because you seem to know a lot about it."

"No… but I know of it. It's called Inculta, taken from what you know as the Latin language. It translates as 'desert', for quite obvious reasons. All in all, a very boring and tedious world."

"From what I know? What's wrong with Latin?"

"Latin is alien."

Again, Amy had to double-check what the Doctor had just said.

"Latin is alien?"

"Rule number two, Amelia… listen."

The Doctor motioned to his ears, pulling them away from his head. Startled by the Doctor's revelation, Amy went into complete silence.

"Right, we need to get going again. That signal won't last forever, and I think, it's starting to die right now."

Once again, the Doctor and Amy found themselves walking in the smoldering heat. However, this time, they were scaling the cliff-face, trying to get to the peak in their mission to track the signal. It was difficult and the dusty surface made it harder to grip. They were also forced to climb up fragile ledges that felt like they would crumble under the weight of a person. Eventually, the team completed their ascent; Amy was the first to get to the top, with the Doctor close behind. Amy stood at the top of the cliff face, with her hand covering her eyes so she could look into the distance.

"Hey, Doctor?"

"What?" said the Doctor, who was adjusting his shoe laces.

"You said that there was no life on this planet, right?"

"Yep. None. Nada. Nothing."

"Well, I see life."

Amy's words shook the Doctor in a combination of intrigue, shock and excitement. He sprang from his seat on the edge of the cliff-face to join Amy. And she was right. Right in front of them, there was a large settlement of shiny metals that reflected the light of the twin suns, in the way that a mirror would. Surrounding the settlement was a huge wall, perhaps 50-60 feet in height. In the middle of the settlement, there was an even bigger high-rise tower with a pointed peak, overlooking the planet for hundreds of miles in every direction.

"That is… completely impossible. Why have I never heard of a settlement of this size? I mean, it's just a Category 1. No-one is supposed to be here. This is wrong. Everything about this just screams wrong to me."

"Look at it this way, Doctor. At least we know where your signal is coming from."

He forced a smile, hiding his discomfort about their situation. Amy had already begun to make her way down the opposite side of the cliff-face, whilst the Doctor faced the impossible.

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Through the lens of his binoculars, the Guardian watched two people, approaching the city walls. One of them, a red-headed girl in red clothing, walked slightly ahead of a younger man, who appeared cautious and tense. The very sight of people on the outside forced the Guardian to report his findings. Leaving their post, the Guardian had to make their way down the familiar corridors of the tower and into a lift at the end. The lift doors closed after a delay, before the Guardian punched the code into a panel on the wall. The lift rapidly ascended and pinged at its destination, as the Guardian hurriedly left the elevator and power-walked down another long corridor, with golden walls and marble floors. Two more Guardians opened the oak double doors to let the Guardian onto a balcony on the point of the power.

"Honoured leader, sir. We have people outside the kingdom walls."

Sitting in a decayed leather chair, the leader stayed completely still; his arms resting on the sides of the chair.

"Do we know them, Guardian?"

"They are unknowns, sir."

The leader lifted his right arm and motioned to the Guardian.

"Go my Guardian. Bring them in".

"Yes, sir."

The Guardian bowed their head, before leaving at the same speed they entered. The Guardian tapped several buttons on a device on their wrist, before holding it to the mouthpiece of their black helmet.

"Initiate Code 6060… It is our honoured leader's wishes."

The Guardian ended communication and adjusted the laser rifle in their hands.


	4. Separation

The Guardians were in a frantic mood. Code 6060 had been initiated. The preparation for Code 6060 was constant, at their leader's wishes. However, this was the first time that it was going to be done for real. In synchronized movement, the Guardians checked their weapons, adjusted their armour to match the outside conditions and gathered together as a unit. From there, they exchanged slight nods to each other, before inputting digits into the devices on their wrists. Suddenly, a white light engulfed each Guardian and they vanished into thin-air.

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The Doctor was nervy. It appeared that he was wrong about Inculta and its inhabitants, since he had expected scarce life, but it looked like there was a vast settlement in the middle of the planet. The Doctor had no knowledge of life on Inculta, so it was safe to assume that _no-one_ was aware of it. And when the Doctor does not know something, it's not a good thing. He and Amy were approaching the city walls. Catching up with the less cautious Amy, the Doctor put his arm out to stop his companion in her tracks.

"Amy, I know this is a new experience for you, but you need to stay alert and keep your eyes open. You see, this place, this city or whatever you want to call it, is not supposed to be here. And that's not good. That's not good at all. So, if there is anything in there, I need you to keep quiet and let the Doctor do the talking. And if anything happens, and I mean absolutely anything or you find yourself in danger, go back to the TARDIS. Don't stop. Don't worry about me. I can handle myself, but if we get into trouble, I couldn't bare to see anything happen to you. So, take this…"

The Doctor pulled a silver chain from his inside jacket pocket, opened Amy's hand and closed it again. Amy re-opened her hand to see what the Doctor had given her. It was a key. A TARDIS key. The Doctor and Amy looked at each other with mixed emotions: trust, friendship, anticipation. It was the Doctor, who broke the tense mood; his face forming a smile, which Amy happily repeated, showing that they were together. They were united. They were ready for whatever was thrown at them.

"Right. Let's do this."

The Doctor gave Amy the official go-ahead. They restarted their approach to the city walls.

As the sheer walls towered over the pair, the shade was a welcome relief. Both Amy and the Doctor sighed as they walked into the shadow of the city walls, a break from the intense heat and light of the suns above the planet, floating in the still emerald sky. Their relief was short-lived; there was a flash of white light, like a thousand cameras. From out of nowhere, Amy and the Doctor were surrounded by a team of what appeared to be soldiers. Their black suits of armour made them look more physically imposing than the average human. They had no facial features; instead, they were equipped with steel helmets with no eye-sights, just a tiny slit in the bottom of the mask, acting as a mouth. Every single one of the soldiers had weapons pointed at them and looked like they were ready to fire, so the Doctor did not move a muscle. Even the usually energetic Amy was frozen on the spot, possibly out of fear for her life. One of the soldiers left their position in the circle to approach the Doctor. They stood nose-to-nose with him; their head tilting, as they looked the Doctor up-and-down. The Doctor was first to break the silence.

"Hello… Who might you be?"

The soldier stepped away from the Doctor, before sharply turning their head to inspect Amy. Suddenly, another of the soldiers began to shout at the other, with their weapon still pointed at middle of the circle.

"Biological scan confirmed. The male is not required."

"What of the female?"

There was a brief silence. Then, the soldier replied.

"The female is a match."

"Is that confirmed?"

"The scan is being repeated for confirmation. The results will be ready in seconds."

The Doctor exchanged a glance with Amy, who looked worried. The Doctor looked equally anxious, with both individuals standing with their hands raised in the air.

"The scan is completed. The female is a match."

"Is our honourable leader aware?"

"Yes. He requires the female. The male will be integrated into the slums."

"OK. We follow our leader's orders. Guardians, separate and secure the prisoners."

The Guardians left their positions to approach the Doctor and Amy. Amy started to call for the Doctor, as they wrestled her to the ground and placed their hand on her neck. A brief noise was heard, similar to air being let out of a bottle. Her eyes started to close and she was rendered unconscious. The Doctor put up a fight and dived onto the floor to reach Amy.

"What have you done? What have you given her? I swear to whatever you happen to worship, I will not let you take her!"

More Guardians secured the Doctor, who was scrambling to break their grip, as he batted away their hands and grabbed Amy's arm. One of the Guardians used the back of their weapon to smash the Doctor in the side of the head, before giving him the same treatment as Amy. He fell unconscious; his hand touching Amy's lifeless arm. The Guardians dragged their bodies apart from each other, scooped them over their shoulders and as quickly as they came, the white light flashed and they were gone.


	5. Hell Hath No Fury

Slowly opening his eyes, the Doctor was starting to come to his senses. Waking from his incapacitation, he reached out from his position on the ground, using nearby objects to grip onto and pull himself to his feet. It took him awhile to regain his balance, whilst clutching his head, which had taken a hell of a shot from the Guardian's weapon. Then, it all came rushing back to him: the soldiers and their weapons. The Doctor's first thought was Amy. He immediately woke himself up and called out for Amy. There was no answer. The Doctor had been left in a side-alley and there was no sign of life. The Doctor stumbled down the alley, calling out for Amy, telling her it was OK and they were fine. Again, there was no answer. The Doctor came to the end of the alley and found his way into something similar to a market square. Surrounding the square was rows of rusty shacks, built using sheet-metal and corrugated iron. They were tiny buildings and most of them were damaged in some way; holes in the wall, roof panels missing, no doors. As the Doctor cautiously stumbled into the centre of the square, he turned his head to look around him. In each shack, he could see something watching him. There were eyes in the darkness, watching his every movement and his every action.

"Amy! Amy! Amy Pond!"

It had become clear to the Doctor that Amy was nowhere near. He was still having trouble remembering what had happened, but he distinctly remembered the soldiers, who were referred to as Guardians. He also remembered them saying that 'the female was a match' and she was 'required'. Yes, it was starting to make sense to the Doctor now; the Guardians said that 'he required the female'. The Doctor was using this information to formulate a plan in his head. If he was to find Amy, he had to find out 'who' required her. The Doctor had to find a way to get 'his' attention.

"Come on! I want to speak to your leader! I want Amelia Pond back!"

The Doctor was screaming in vain.

"Where are these Guardians? Take me to them!"

At the very mention of the Guardians, they was a collective gasp, followed by hushed chatter amongst the shacks. The Doctor noticed this and started to address whatever was hiding from him.

"The Guardians seem to strike a chord with you… whatever you are. Tell me where I can find them."

There was no reaction. There was only silence. The Doctor started to speak with more authority, like an order.

"Tell me where I can find the Guardians. Tell me. Tell me NOW!"

Suddenly, something appeared to come out of the shadows and stand at the edge of the square. The Doctor couldn't make out what it was, but the figure started to speak.

"Stop calling for them. It will be the end for you. It will be the end for us!"

The Doctor slowly approached the figure, which also started to move, in the opposite direction.

"No, that's where you're mistaken. You see, the Guardians don't know who I am. What I am capable of."

"Impossible. The Guardians know everyone."

"Listen to me, I've seen a lot of impossibilities today and I can help you. I'm new. I'm the Doctor. I don't want to cause you any harm, I just want my friend back."

"You can't be new. There have not been any arrivals for generations."

"Wrong. I'm here. And I'm the best damn arrival that you could have wished for. Now, tell me where I can find these Guardians, so I can sort them out and make everything better."

The figure was motionless. It was contemplating the Doctor's offer. After an awkward period of silence, the figure offered a hand to the Doctor. It was a human hand, five fingers and all, with dirty, white skin and flat nails. The Doctor took the hand and the person lead the Doctor into their shack.

Inside the shack was just as dingy as the outside. Despite the two suns in the sky, the inside was plunged in darkness, with the only source of light being a small candle-light. The person sat on the floor and their face was illuminated by the candle. It was a brown-haired woman with freckles under her eyes. The Doctor joined her on the floor of the shack and immediately started to interrogate the woman.

"The Guardians. Where are they based?"

The woman looked around her, almost like she was checking no-one was hiding the shadows, before talking in a hushed tone.

"The Tower. It's in the middle of the city, you can't miss it. But, you won't be able to get within a mile of it. They see everything. And if you trespass, you are punished."

"Punished? What do you mean by punished?"

The woman's silence confirmed the Doctor's guess. Punishment meant death on Inculta.

"Look, the Guardians took Amy and I'm guessing she will be with them, in the Tower. Could you help me to get close enough, so I can find my own way in there?"

"No."

"Why?"

"No."

"So, my friend's life is in danger and you just sit there and say 'no'?"

"I'm sorry, but I cannot be seen with you in the light. You are new and that makes you a danger to all of us. Now, I have done my part and I would like you to leave."

The Doctor's anger was clear, as the flame of the candle flickered across his face. He got to his feet and stormed outside, before stopping in the middle of the square. He sensed the people were watching him again and took the opportunity to speak to them.

"You people, you humans. The human race is the one of the most noble, courageous species in the entire universe. Yet, here you are! Sitting in the darkness out of fear for the Guardians and their punishments. From what I have seen, you are prepared to merely sit back and watch as my friend, a fellow human being, is subjected to whatever types of terror in the Tower. I can help you! I can lead you out of the shadows and into the light, but I need you to help me! I need you to get my friend back! She is just a little girl, light-years away from home. And right now, I bet she feels so scared, so nervous and so lost. She feels like this and it's my fault, and that kills me. I should have protected her, but I am not the man I used to be! Or am I? So I am going to the Tower! I am going to face the Guardians, and I will rescue Amelia Pond! So, if you want a better life, you better pray to your God, your Vot or whatever you believe in! You best pray that I am successful! Because, if they have done anything to Amy… I… will… destroy them!"

The Doctor was red with anger and fury, marching off into the crowd of shacks in the direction of the Tower, which loomed over the city. The Doctor's speech may have inspired some people, it may have scared others, but one thing was for certain: they were praying for the Doctor, because if Amy was in danger, every single one of them knew nothing would stop him. Hell hath no fury, like the Doctor scorned…


	6. The Man In The Chair

The Tower awaited the Doctor. He marched through the maze of similarly looking metal containers, and down the endless paths and alleys that formed the city centre. News of the Doctor's arrival must have spread quickly, since wherever he went, the Doctor could feel the same feeling he got back at the square, as if everyone was watching him and his every movement. But that did not take away from the Doctor's aim. He was a man-on-a-mission and no-one could stop him. After the Doctor's journey through the city, he came to the centre of Inculta and in front of him stood the Tower. Similar in size to a high-rise building, the Tower's point reached into the clear emerald sky. There was a length of clear land around the Tower's base, with no shacks, settlements or life of any sort. The Doctor could see the entrance to the Tower at the base of the structure; it was completely unguarded and the double doors were left wide open. Walking purposefully, the Doctor stepped onto the empty land and made his way towards the open doors. Out of nowhere, the now-familiar white light appeared and the Doctor was thrown backwards. He had landed on the floor face-first, and as he wiped the stones and dust from his face, he turned his body towards the Tower. Standing over him was a Guardian. It looked down on the Doctor, with its weapon firmly gripped in its hands. The Doctor awkwardly stood back up, before stepping closer to the Guardian and going nose-to-nose with it. Nothing was said between the two, they were just staring at each other. The Guardian was the first to speak.

"Leave."

It spoke in a gruff, angry, mechanical voice which showed its natural anger and dominance over whatever it encountered. However, the Doctor wasn't fazed by the intimidation.

"No."

The Guardian couldn't show any emotion, but it pointed its weapon at the Doctor's sweaty and dusty forehead.

"Leave."

"I'm not going anywhere, until I get my friend back."

"Leave."

"Are having trouble understanding the words coming out of my mouth? I'm… not… going… anywhere, and if you have an issue with that, take me to your leader."

The Doctor was met with a sudden strike to the ribs, which caused him to cough out in pain and fall to his knees. The Guardian moved forward and placed its rifle to the Doctor's head again. It started to squeeze on the trigger.

However, the sound of static was heard and a tiny voice could be heard in the Guardian's wrist device. Slowly lifting the device to its mouthpiece, whilst keeping full focus on the Doctor, the Guardian listened to the hushed voice. The Doctor stayed still on the floor; his expression was one of determination, yet pain, as the strike had obviously come unexpectedly and caused the Doctor quite severe pain. The Guardian finished with its wrist device and placed its hand on the Doctor's shoulder, before tapping buttons on its wrist and both of them were engulfed in the white light. The experience was strange for the Doctor. He deduced that the light was in reality a short-range teleport, but it was a very basic and therefore, stressful teleportation. The light faded and the Doctor fell to the floor, clutching his forehead with his fingers. The Guardian must have been exempt from the effects of the teleport, possibly because of the armour and helmets they used.

When the Doctor regained his concentration, he noticed that the floor he was laying on was pure marble. The surface was cold on the palms of his hands and hard for him to get a grip on. Using the walls for support, which were made from solid gold, he made his way to his feet and leant his back against the wall. The Guardian was opposite to him.

"Our honourable leader requires your presence."

"Yes, and so he should."

The Guardian suddenly moved toward the Doctor and struck him again, this time in the nose. Shockwaves of pain were sent to the Doctor's head, who stumbled and fell into the Guardian's arms, which proceeded to drag the Doctor's dead weight along the golden corridor. It dragged the Doctor through a set of oak doors. With a carefree attitude, the Guardian pushed the Doctor onto the floor of the next room, before closing the doors behind it. The Doctor had to regain his balance again and made his way to a standing position. He was now on a balcony, with views of the city and the planet for miles in each direction. On the balcony was a single leather chair, which had someone, sitting in it. This person spun around in the chair to face the Doctor. It was a young man with short brown hair, wearing a dusty black pinstriped suit, a white shirt and a red tie. The man sat in his chair, as he appeared to look the Doctor up-and-down, in similar manner to the Guardians.

"You know, when we carried out the biological scan on you, the results were… interesting. But are they true… Time Lord?"

The Doctor approached the mysterious man in his chair and stood over him.

"What does it mean to you?"

"Oh, that's typical of you… Doctor. Everything I have heard about you is true. Angry and impatient. I am merely making conversation and you want to throw my hospitality in my face? I mean, I took you into my kingdom!"

"I'm not in the mood for inane chatter; I just want Amelia Pond back with me. And anyway, what do you mean your 'hospitality'? Your Guardians or whatever they are have a habit of knocking me around!"

"Yes, they tend to do that. That was a minor design flaw."

"Back to the case at hand, Amelia Pond. Where is she?"

"Oh, you mean, the fiery red-head?"

The Doctor's expression changed at the man's acknowledgement of Amy, as he got increasingly angry and frustrated.

"Yes… Amelia, she has a name, Amelia. Now, give her back to me."

"Not yet, Doctor. We're not finished with her."

"What? What do yo…? What are you doing to her?"

"Nothing. She's fine. We just need her for a bit longer, and trust me, when we are done with her, you will be the first person to know."

This wasn't good enough for the Doctor, who grabbed the man by his tie and pulled him to his feet with reasonable force.

"I'm not joking with you. And it wasn't a question, it was a request. Give… her… back to me."

"We can't. And if you don't let go of me in the next ten seconds, there will be severe consequences for both you and your precious Amelia."

The Doctor had continued to hold the man, who looked deep into the Time Lord's eyes. He started to mouth the number of seconds the Doctor had left, before the Doctor dropped him back into his chair at the count of two. The man re-adjusted his tie and jacket, before pressing a button on the arm-rest of his chair. A buzzer sounded and the Doctor turned toward the doors, where two Guardians burst onto the balcony and threw the Doctor onto the floor. The suited man watched the chaos with a certain casualty about him.

"I apologise, Doctor, but this meeting appears to have taken a bad turn, on your part. So, you have proved unable to integrate with my person, which means I shall have to keep you until we are done with Miss Pond. Guardians, take him to Floor 32. Get him comfortable and keep him under constant guard. He is slippery."

The Guardians dragged the Doctor away, kicking and lashing out, as he shouted at the leader.

"Whatever you are doing to Amy, I will make sure it stops! And if you know me, you know what I can do; you will understand that I always win!"

The leader motioned to the Guardians, who stopped in the doorway.

"Poor Doctor, so naïve and unaware. In fact, the next time we meet, when we are ready, you will join me, Doctor. But until then, you are too much of a risk. Goodbye, Doctor. Guardians, take him away from me."

Again, the leader motioned to the Guardians, who dragged the Doctor away and into the lift at the end of the corridor.


	7. Motives

The journey in the lift was almost instant, but it felt like a lifetime for the Doctor, who was still trying to break free from the Guardians, but their hold on the Doctor was just too strong and they pulled him out of the lift like he was a rag-doll. The first thing the Doctor noticed was the neon numbers high on the wall above the lift doors, which said '32' in broken lights. The Guardians forced the Doctor to walk, arriving in a room at the end of the corridor, a prison cell. It was a typical, old-fashioned cell, with the quaint metal bars and lack of furniture, just a porcelain toilet and sink. The Doctor was pushed into the cell and the Guardians slammed the cell door shut. As the Doctor took note of his new surroundings, he put his face in between the bars to talk to the Guardians, who were standing with their backs to the Doctor, guarding the area.

"So, Guardians…"

As soon as the Doctor began to speak, the Guardians turned their heads in perfect synchronisation. Tilted slightly to the side, they appeared to watch the Doctor, who looked quite bemused by them.

"That is good. That is very good. Movement is linked to the detection of sound-waves, moving toward the source of the noise. A great way of picking up on people, or… the best synchronised dance troupe I've ever seen."

The Guardians were still unfazed, as they continued to face the Doctor.

"I am guessing that since your leader, whoever he is, mentioned your design and the fact you move and look like that, you are not human or humanoid or any type of organic lifeform. Artificial intelligence at it's best. Looks human, but is nothing like a human being. Your creator is undoubtedly a genius, a genius, whose identity is still unknown. He may be a genius, but he forgot who I am. I am the Doctor. I am the smartest person in the universe, and humble too. So, when I told your leader that I would stop him, I was telling the absolute, honest, one-hundred percent truth. And as much as I've enjoyed playing cops and robbers with you things, I have serious business to attend to."

In one swift movement, the Doctor whipped the sonic screwdriver from out of his pocket and the familiar sounds of the screwdriver were heard. The Guardians weren't quick enough to react, as the Doctor had used his screwdriver to disrupt the Guardians, who stayed completely still, before crashing onto the floor. Their weapons also clattered onto the ground, next to the Guardian's lifeless bodies. The Doctor readjusted his screwdriver to unlock the cell door, quickly pick up one of the Guardian's rifles and make his way down the empty corridor to the lift at the end. Inside the lift, the Doctor inspected the panel on the wall and tried to press random buttons, but it was going nowhere. In his head, the Doctor called on his greatest strength, which was his intelligence. Remembering how high in the air the balcony was, the amount of time it took to get to Floor 32 in the lift, average speeds, the equations were rushing through the Doctor's head. In little time, the Doctor slowly and methodically entered a code on the panel, which was accepted and the doors slam shut and the lift started to move. Checking the weapon in his hands, the Doctor was knocked off balance as the lift came to an abrupt stop. The doors opened and the Doctor was greeted by the sight of the golden walls, marble floor and in the middle of the corridor, the leader of the Guardians, flanked by a team of his soldiers.

He started to clap the Doctor very dramatically and in quite a patronising manner. The Doctor stood very still in the elevator.

"Doctor, very well played, sir. By my watch, it took a little under seven minutes for you to escape the cells!"

"Exactly, I told you I would stop you."

The Doctor slowly lifted the weapon in his hands. Using a weapon went against everything the Doctor had ever stood for, yet there he was, pointing a rifle in the direction of another living thing. Some might say that the Doctor was a new man, with new morals and new values. Others might believe that it showed the Doctor would do anything for his companions, even if that meant pulling the trigger of a gun. But in this instance, it didn't mean anything. The Doctor wasn't in control of the situation, like he so often was.

"Doctor. You seem to forget who I am. I am in charge here. You escaped my Guardians, because I allowed you to. I wanted to find out how good you were. And my sources were right. You are a unique person, Doctor. The last of your kind."

The suited man started to speak to the Doctor in a more appealing and persuasive tone, like he was trying to recruit the Doctor to his cause.

"Imagine this, Doctor. Combine your superior intellect and wisdom with my own attributes, and we could take my Guardians across the cosmos and stamp their dominance upon every single living thing. I told you Doctor, that you would join me, because I need you if my plan is to be successful. I need the intelligence of the last Time Lord in existence. That is why it was me that sent you that signal, Doctor, I needed your attention. My Guardians are a great creation, but they are flawed. They have weaknesses. These weaknesses need to be improved."

It was at that point that the Doctor realised why they needed Amy.

"Weaknesses. The Guardians aren't smart enough to act on their own. They don't move or talk or think on their own, I mean, following sound is a primitive method. You think you are a genius and on some level, you are, but you missed some key elements. The human aspect. The ability to think for themselves. You needed a human."

"We have been monitoring the thought-processes of your human friend, analysing them and creating a new set of Guardians based on our research. They will be completely flawless. Ready for war, across the stars. You could lead my soldiers into battle, Doctor."

The Doctor laughed and the sound echoed through the corridor.

"You told me when we first met that you had heard of me. You thought you knew me. But you are mistaken."

At that point, the Doctor dropped his weapon and exited the safety of the lift. The doors, which had been repeatedly trying to close, finally slammed shut.

"I would never, ever, join someone like you. Hell-bent on destruction and power. I would rather die than see billions of people slaughtered by you."

The suited man's expression changed from a blank look to a look of pure anger and hate.

"I honestly thought you would join me, Doctor. You think you are a genius as well. But you are the stupidest genius I have ever met. And if you wish to die, then so be it. Guardians, seize him."

The team of Guardians moved in unison to secure the Doctor, who unlike previous scrambles, didn't struggle or lash out; instead he let them take him. The suited man approached the Doctor and whispered in his ear.

"You will witness the power of my Guardians. Then, when my rise to the top is complete, the universally-famous Doctor will meet the end by my own bullet."

The leader stepped away from the Doctor and addressed the Guardians.

"Guardians, take the Doctor to the lower level. From there, he can enjoy proceedings in the company of his friend."

He then addressed the Doctor again.

"And this time, Doctor, there will be no escaping me. The next time we met… will be the last…"


	8. OOC: Interlude

I apologise if the last chapter seemed quite confusing, I wanted to take the opportunity to explain what the hell is going on, and it felt like the right time in the narrative for the villain to make TV-mistake #1: you never reveal your plan until it's over.

Anyway, onto the main business, which is the amazing support I have received, in terms of people reviewing, making this story their favourite and the numerous people who have put this on their alert list. This is easily my most successful story and the support is one of the reasons I am updating so quickly. To be honest, I'd feel bad if I stopped now and left this to die, especially to the regular reviewers, who keep saying that want to know what happens next, (it's OK, no more confusing plot elements now, just classic Who, with the right amount of action, suspense and CONFRONTATION!~!)

That's my bit and it may seem cliche as fuck, but I heart you people... no really... I do... *wink* *wink* *nudge* *nudge*


	9. Reunited At Last

With a solid thump, the Doctor was thrown onto the stone floor of his second prison cell of the day. This cell was bigger than the last one; it even had a small window at the top of the back wall. As the Doctor looked for another way to escape, he took a keen interest in the window. He managed to get onto his tip-toes and clamber onto the ledge, but he was met by a severe shockwave that raged through his body, sending him toppling backwards and crashing onto the floor again. He groaned in pain and sat upright, clicking each of his limbs and causing them to make a sickening noise. Sat on the floor of his prison cell, the Doctor just crossed his legs and stared into space. He felt defeated, like no matter how much he tried to get out the situation he had gotten into, he couldn't win. It dawned on the Doctor that he was powerless. The Guardians had even taken away his sonic screwdriver. There was no escape, just as the suited man had said.

The Doctor's self-reflection was interrupted by a commotion outside his cell, as the sound of loud voices and shouting echoed down the corridors and touched the Doctor. He hopped to his feet and pressed his face in between the bars of his cell. The Doctor recognised one of the voices; it was a thick Scottish accent, feisty and rebellious. His expression lit up, as the Scottish accent drew closer.

"Don't you dare… don't touch me there or I will push you again!"

Opposite the Doctor's cell, a team of Guardians were having a hard time trying to escort their captive into their room. They managed to lock them away and when the Guardians left, the Doctor and the captive locked eyes on each other. In that moment, there was a sense of relief on the Doctor's part. The captive was in actual fact, Amy Pond. The Doctor smiled at her, and at first, she smiled back, before her expression turned into a deep frown.

"Where have you been, Doctor!"

If the Doctor had been expecting a reunion of love and happiness, he was sorely mistaken. Amy was furious. The Doctor stammered, at a loss for words, which was a very rare thing for the man who wouldn't shut up. However, he knew Amy's anger was warranted. He felt like he had failed her on their very first trip.

"Amelia, I'm so, so, so, so sorry. Truly sorry. Completely sorry."

"So, you should be, I have been waiting for you to come and bust me out, but I'm guessing by the fact we are in opposite prison cells, the rescue didn't go as planned, am I right?"

The Doctor sadly nodded, reminiscent of a child who had been punished for eating sweets before dinner. The Doctor's guilt rubbed off on Amy, whose own attitude changed completely.

"Still… you have no idea how happy to see you."

The Doctor gave Amy a comforting look.

"I'm happy to see you too, Amelia, incredibly happy that you are OK, because I got worried for awhile. Now, this is important… what have they been doing to you?"

"Nothing really, they just keep making me sit in this chair and scanning me for something. I thought it was a bit tame, I mean, I've had worst NHS check-ups, if you know what I mean."

"Tame, but fundamental to their leader's plans."

"Why? What have they done to me?"

"Nothing, as you said. All they've done is analyse your thought patterns, which they are going to use to create a super-race of soldiers that will go to war with the rest of the universe, and probably win."

"Right. Not too serious, then. Why did they need me to do that? They could have used you, surely?"

"Wrong. They needed you, because you are a human."

"But, I've seen other humans in this place. Other prisoners, even that man in the suit, their leader, why couldn't they use them?"

"I thought that too, I was dumped out in the city, I spoke to the people, and they seemed human. They looked human. Everything about them was human, right down to the fear they had in their eyes."

"So, you can tell someone is human from fear? That's wrong, not every human is scared."

"Oh yes you are. You are all scared of global warming, alien life, putting on weight, forgetting to turn the light off, eating gone-off foods, you all fear something. But that is what makes you so brilliantly brilliant, the fear keeps you alive. It keeps you fighting, because you dare not stop."

At that moment, the Doctor had an epiphany and slapped his forehead very hard, before clicking his fingers and pointing at Amy.

"That's it! The people _seemed _human! Seemed is the key word there! The people aren't completely human. We are far into the future of humankind, and at this point, you lot were like rabbits, cross-breeding at every opportunity! Along the way, you mix-and-match the genetics of other species, whereas you, Amelia Pond, are one-hundred percent Earth human! The perfect specimen for that new race."

Amy looked horrified at the Doctor's glowing, and somewhat graphic review of human beings at that point in time.

"Let me guess this straight. They see me as pure human, which is what they need for their soldiers?"

The Doctor acknowledged Amy's question, as he paced his cell backwards and forwards. Once again, he found his thought interrupted by outside interference. A loud, almost shouting voice was heard outside his cell window. Amy noticed it as well and she watched the Doctor, leap toward the window.

"Doctor, careful with the window, it shocks you!"

"I found that out on my own, thank you very much!"

Peering out of the window to see what was happening, the Doctor could see a small section of the city, mainly the empty land in front of the Tower doors. He listened carefully to the voice, which was booming out of a megaphone, and recited each word to Amy, who was waiting patiently for the Doctor to tell her what has happening.

"Citizens… gather… at the Tower… your honoured leader… has an important announcement… those who do not attend… will be punished…"

"Announcement? Doctor, what's about to happen?"

"I imagine it will be their leader's call to arms. They must be close to completing the new Guardians. And basically, their leader is about to brag about it to his 'loyal' subjects."

"What do we do then, Doctor?"

"We use it to our advantage! Most of the attention will be on him, which means this is the best chance we will have to get out of here. So, Amelia, think carefully, everything you've seen about this place, the people, the places. And tell me anything you remember. Only then can I get us out of here..."

In the higher levels of the tower, an old man in a white lab coat was furiously tapping buttons on a computer. He was concentrating deeply on the tiny screen in front of him, occasionally breaking his focus to look at the various files and sheets of paper that lay in a random order next to him. His work was suddenly interrupted by the suited man, who entered the older man's room unannounced. When he noticed the man's presence, he got to his feet and greeted him.

"Honoured leader, sir, I was not expecting you so soon."

"Well, I get bored of waiting for you to finish my work. Is it ready yet?"

"I am yet to finish inputting the data into the prototype, sir."

"I have given you enough time, now, can I trust you to finish it on time, or do I need to replace you with another lucky civilian?."

"Yes, sir, you can trust me, it will take me ten minutes maximum, and then, the prototype will be ready for operation."

"Make sure it is, or it will be you who I demonstrate it on."

"Yes, sir. My apologies, sir."

The suited man left the room in a huff, slamming the door shut behind him. He looked at the watch on his right wrist. The people would be ready for his appearance in approximately ten minutes. He was excited for this; he had waited a long time to be able to do it. Soon enough, the kingdom of Inculta would never be the same again. The Guardians were about to be reborn. It was show-time.


	10. The Gathering

The voice from the Tower had caused a real buzz amongst the city. Citizens from every district were making their way to the Tower, some to catch a glimpse of their lord and master, others feared for their life if they did not attend, and they knew that the Guardians would be on the look-out. They always found you, no matter what. The stream of people in the streets was constant, and the people were a variety of men, women and children. They were each dressed in the same hooded rag-like shirts and dirty trousers, because they had nothing else. As the crowds gathered around the Tower, the central platform was surrounded in a circle-formation by the Guardians. The people were speaking a hushed tone, trying not to alert the Guardians, in case they took their chatter in the wrong way. Within ten minutes of the initial call, everyone in the city was awaiting their leader at the Tower. Suddenly, the sound of sharp feedback was heard, and the same voice that called the people shouted down the megaphone.

"Citizens! It is time! All hail your leader, your saviour… All hail Jakob!"

The citizens burst into rapturous applause and chanted their leader's name, as Jakob appeared on the central platform in a burst of white light. He slowly scanned the horizon, before lifting his right arm into the air, to which the people reacted in a wave of excitement and passion. Jakob dropped his arm and stepped onto a podium, where he tapped a microphone three times and the sound echoed through the speakers around the city.

"Loyal citizens of Inculta, it gives me great pride to stand before you again. Today marks a special day in the history of this race! Today, your honourable leader has achieved one of his goals! Now, I have heard whispers amongst you people, talking of our new arrivals in the city."

Anyone who was talking in the crowd went quiet. Jakob appeared to smile at the complete silence he was receiving.

"It's OK, it's not meant to be a secret. I too was excited at our newest additions to the city. In fact, they have helped me achieve my goal. You see, I used these new arrivals to my, I mean, our, advantage. They have contributed to the re-design of your Guardians!"

As seen before, the very mention of the Guardians caused the people to gasp and freeze on the spot.

"As you know, your Guardians are my proudest creation. They have protected you people from outside threat, for countless generations! But, they are flawed. They are weak. They could be so much better! And now, they are…"

Jakob stopped his speech and lifted a wrist device, similar to the ones the Guardians possessed, to his mouth. He whispered into the device.

"Is it ready?"

The other voice acknowledged Jakob.

"Good. Bring it to me."

Jakob put his hand back on the podium in front of him. He waited patiently, whilst the crowd whispered to each other in anticipation, wondering why their leader had stopped talking. Their questions were answered soon enough, as a flash of white light appeared beside Jakob, who didn't even flinch or move. As the light faded, the people were left in awe, as a figure appeared beside Jakob. The figure resembled the shape of a Guardian. Although, this Guardian seemed different. It moved on its own and its mannerisms resembled Jakob's, as it looked down on the people and turned on the spot to face Jakob.

"Honourable leader, sir, I await your orders."

The citizens were in awe. This Guardian spoke on its own, without being told to. It was independent. The awe quickly turned into fear and paranoia, as each citizen watched the Guardians around them to see if they were like it too. Instead, they were still and motionless, the Guardians they were familiar with. In the distance, Jakob appeared smug and stepped forward to his microphone again.

"Do you like it? It's new and improved Guardian! All major design flaws are gone, and it means that it has no weaknesses. This is the prototype, so it is an early model, but I am close to completing the final model. So, what do you think?"

There was a mixed reaction from the crowd. Some people cheered, whereas others chatted in a fearful tone. The Guardians they were so scared of, just got worse, or better from Jakob's point of view. This reaction from his people wasn't the one that Jakob expected. He quickly turned on his people and thumped the podium with his fist. The sound travelled down the microphone and alerted the people to Jakob's anger, and they jumped in their place to face him again.

"You seem… scared. Scared of my new Guardian. Are you? Do you fear it?"

Again, the crowd remained silent. The Guardian remained next to Jakob, slowly moving his head from side-to-side.

"You people are so scared. My Guardian does not fear anything! It does not fear me! It does not fear you! It does not fear death! The perfect soldier! Well, you people better get used to this. We will soon be mass-producing these Guardians, ready for the next stage in the development of Inculta, as we travel into the heart of the universe and expand my, our, empire!"

Jakob's idea of an empire did not reflect well on the people, who started to talk amongst themselves, louder than they had before. Jakob did not take kindly to an interruption, as he pounded his fist on his podium again. The people turned to face him, who was red-hot with fury.

"DO NOT INTERRUPT ME! You do not take kindly to my plans. This offends me. But, I also pity you. You have no idea how much potential this tiny planet has. In time, it will become the center of the entire universe, with your honoured leader, Jakob, at the helm! In fact, I don't need you people! All I need for success are my Guardians! And I think it would be right to give my kingdom an active demonstration of my army! And only then, will you see the might of the Guardians!"

There was a real sense of fear amongst the citizens, who had started to tremble with each of Jakob's words. Some even started to flee the area, as they see the anger in their leader's eyes and thought it best to run. Jakob turned to the Guardian on his platform and told it something, before teleporting away from the scene. The Guardian dropped from the platform in a swift movement, the sort-of movement that the old Guardians could never replicate. It marched to the centre of the Tower's ground, before it screamed at the people, in a bone-chilling voice, which was less robotic and rusty than the others. Instead, it sounded more organic, almost human.

"Guardians! Lift your weapons…"

The Guardians lifted their weapons in a synchronised manner.

"TAKE AIM!"

The crowds of people gasped in unison, as more and more people realised what was about to happen and sprinted away from the Tower and into the maze of streets and pathways, desperate and terrified, before the Guardian screamed the order.

"FIRE!"

At that moment, the Guardians turned on their own people and their weapons launched blasts of laser energy at the now frenzied civilians. They were cut down by the lasers, which cut through their bodies and caused them to drop motionless onto the dusty ground, clutching their chests and crying out for their sons, their daughters, or just whimpering at the burning sensations passing through their bodies as they eventually closed their eyes, and stopped squirming. It took little time for the people to be slaughtered, before each Guardian disappeared in a burst of white light, leaving behind them the fallen crowds of people who lay motionless on the floor.


	11. The Feeling of Freedom

The Doctor was speechless. Having watched events unfold from the window in his prison cell, he had been completely frozen to the spot. Amy was urging the Doctor to talk to her, to let her know what had happened. She had heard the screams of the people, even though it was hard to listen to and hard to forget. She asked the Doctor what had happened not out of interest, but for someone to tell her that it was real. Amy knew what had occurred. She just chose not to believe it. The Doctor finally turned away from the window and dropped onto the floor. He sat on the floor, with his head in his hands, trying desperately to fight the tears that were rolling down his cheek. In an attempt to forget the incredible guilt that the Doctor felt, he got back to his feet and paced his cell, before slapping the prison bars in a wave of pure anger and raw emotion.

"Doctor, it's OK, there was nothing you could have done."

Amy spoke in a calm, almost parent-like manner, whereas the Doctor's voice was broken up and stuttered, as the anger continued to flow through him.

"Oh, Amy, I appreciate the sympathy, but you know full well that could have been averted. At first, I thought this Jakob was just a mad man with ambitions. Now, he is a murderer. And I was only going to stop Jakob from succeeding. Now, I am going to make him pay for every life he has destroyed… I've had enough of this. It's time to get out of here."

With that, the Doctor moved with a new-found determination and passion, springing onto the cell window behind him and repeatedly punched the bars. The electric current travelled through him with each strike, but he withstood the pain and after several more strikes, a loud alarm went off and a Guardian came marching down the corridor and into the Doctor's cell. The Doctor searched his pockets and pulled out a small metal box. He put it through the electric current and it flew in the direction of the Guardian, whose robotic voice cried out in pain and collapsed. The Doctor took the opportunity to run out into the corridor, find his sonic screwdriver on a table at the end, and used it to unlock Amy's cell.

"What the hell did you just do?"

"Well, I redirected the current that runs through the window and sent it in the direction of our guard."

"What did you pull from your pocket?"

The Doctor held the box to his face and inspected it, before putting it back in his pocket.

"It's a cigarette box. I think."

"A cigarette box? You smoke?"

"Umm… I don't know. I don't think so."

They moved on from small talk to the task at hand. The alarm was still going off and the lift at the end of the corridor closed, just as Amy and the Doctor was about to get into it. The Doctor knew more Guardians would be descending on their floor, so he decided to take an extreme alternative. He used the sonic screwdriver to open the lift doors and looked down the elevator shaft. Turning to Amy, he put his hand on her shoulder and looked deep into her eyes.

"Amy, what I am about to ask you to do is somewhat dangerous and stupid, but it may be our only way out of here, so, before I say what it involves, are you ready?"

"Of course, what we got to do?"

The Doctor looked at the empty elevator shaft and then back at Amy, who had realised what the Doctor was implying.

"Oh, that is stupid."

The Doctor nodded and took Amy's hand in his own, leading her toward the doors. He knew that the Guardians would be on their way down to their level, so time was of the essence. They both looked at each other and then again at the cable at the centre of the elevator shaft. Together, they spoke.

"Three… two… one…"

At the count of one, they jumped together to grab the cable, and just about managed to grip the wire casing. Looking down at the distance below them, it was only fifteen to twenty feet, as they slowly but surely abseiled down the cable. At the bottom of the elevator shaft, they noticed the lift falling to its destination, presumably full of Guardians on the hunt for The Doctor and Amy. They had to hurry. The Doctor used his sonic screwdriver to open the elevator doors at the bottom of the Tower, and they opened very awkwardly, leaving both the Doctor and Amy to squeeze through the gap in the doors, rather than wait for them to open fully. Just like when he arrived earlier, the front doors to the Tower were open and there were no Guardians around. The Doctor urged Amy to hurry up, as they ran out outside into the bright sunlight and extreme heat, a welcome change to the dark and damp prison cells. They had to run through the masses of bodies that littered the ground, trying not to be distracted by them, otherwise they would be captured. Eventually after an intense escape, they made their way into the vast maze of shacks and settlements. They were free.

News of the Doctor's escape reached Jakob in little time. He was no mood to worry about the Doctor though. He was concentrating on the development of his army of Guardians, who were ready for mass-production. The older man in the lab coat, Jakob's senior scientist, was ready for Jakob to ceremoniously press the 'Execute' button on his computer. After a dramatic pause, Jakob touched the key and the computer sprang into life. From there, all the Guardians in the room, who were linked to the computer via an intricate series of wires, also sprang into life. They tore the wires from their armour and stood at attention to face Jakob, who was walking between the rows of Guardians, inspecting each one. Jakob's scientist called to Jakob, who was at the opposite end of the room.

"Honourable leader, sir, it is complete. Your Guardians are ready."

"I noticed that."

"Well, sir, are you pleased?"

Jakob turned sharply to the scientist, who was eagerly staring at the Guardians, in the same manner that Jakob was. Jakob looked angry, before turning back to the Guardian next to him. He told it something, which the scientist did not hear. The Guardian broke formation to march up the line and approach the scientist, drew its weapon and shot him on the spot. The scientist dropped to his knees and fell forwards onto his stomach, dead. The Guardian returned back to its spot in the crowd to the applause of Jakob, who was proud of his Guardian's actions.

"Excellently done, Guardian."

"Thank you, honourable leader, sir."

"Good. My Guardians are ready. And soon, we will march on the rest of the universe, establishing me as the universal emperor. Oh, it will be such a good feeling, don't you agree?"

"Yes, sir, the best."

"Oooh, you have an opinion. That's brilliant. Truly remarkable, your creator must be a genius."

Jakob laughed to himself, before reverting back to his serious persona.

"Guardians, I want you to prepare for battle. I have received news that someone wants to avert your creation! And that someone needs to perish! They have escaped my custody and fled into the city, like a coward would. So, I want you to march into the city, find the Doctor and his lady, human friend and destroy them, and anyone else who gets in the way! Are we clear?"

The army shouted the same response in perfect unison.

"Yes, sir!"

"Good. Now, march!"

The Guardians moved in perfect timing, marching in neat rows to the outside of the room, where they were engulfed by white lights, apparently teleporting into the city. The hunt was on. And the Doctor and Amy were the prime objectives.


	12. OOC: My Next Story

Sorry for another OOC update, but I have good news and bad news. The bad news: this story is rapidly approaching it's climax, with maybe three or four more chapters. Good news: I'm going to carry on writing for Doctor Who fans, since I have several ideas for my next fanfic. More good news: I am going to give you the blurb of the next story. Even better good news: I need you to help me select the title for my story, so I will leave my suggestions and people can either inbox/review me what one they prefer, or give me a suggestion of their own. Please and thank you.

**COMING SOON...**

Xena, a human colony, is the heart of trade and marketing in the universe, with species of all kinds descending upon Xena for exotic products and cheap goods. So, when the Doctor decides to take Amy there for a visit, you can imagine his surprise at how deserted the place is. But it gets worse for them. Xena is stuck in constant darkness and the last inhabitants of the colony have been forced underground. Can the Doctor save the survivors? What happened in the first place? No-one knows what to do, but they are clear on one thing: DON'T GO ABOVE GROUND!

**And my potential titles for this story: **

The Longest Night

The Eternal Darkness

The Legend of the Reapers

Any other suggestions are welcome, just drop me a message or a review or something. Thanks very much.


	13. Uprising

"We should be safe for now."

The Doctor was reassuring Amy, who seemed like she was a bit frantic and anxious. They had paused to take a breath and recuperate from their escape. They did not stop running and found their way deep into the city, at the heart of Inculta itself. However, the previous events of the day had changed the entire atmosphere of the city. Before, the people were hiding in their shacks, staying in the darkness out of fear for the Guardians. Now, people were roaming the city streets, running from place-to-place with the same tearful looks on their faces. They had seen their friends and family slaughtered by Jakob's Guardians and were no longer going to hide in the shadows. The Doctor and Amy followed the stream of people who were heading further into the depths of the city, arriving at a unique-looking building, which was basically a shack with two floors. It looked so out-of-place amongst the rest of the settlements, which were tiny crate-like structures, whereas this building was big and spacious and made out of denser metals. The people were gathering outside the two-floored shack, as the Doctor and Amy joined them to see what was happening. Soon after their arrival, people were staring at the two of them, pointing and whispering to each other. The chatter spread and just as the Doctor realised that they had drawn attention to themselves, a burly man in the uniform-esque rags walked from out of the building, through the crowd and stood in front of the Doctor. He spoke in a raspy voice and continuously coughed as he talked.

"You! We've heard of you! You are the Doctor."

The Doctor tried to remain silent, but by now, the crowds of people were focusing on him and him only.

"Yes, and you are?"

"I am Ezekiel."

"Ezekiel? That's a very masculine name, isn't it? Ezekiel… Zeke… Big Zeke…"

"Enough, there is no time for small talk. It is the time for action!"

"Action? What kind of action?"

A group of people exited the large shack in front of them, clutching wooden spears, metal poles and hand-crafted knives. They handed the weapons around the crowd of people, who took them into their own grips. It was then that the Doctor understood what action meant.

"That kind of action?"

"Yes, Doctor, the news of your arrival gave us great hope, before our 'honourable' leader crushed that before our very eyes. We must fight in the name of our brothers, our sisters and our children, who were massacred by the Guardians! And you will join us, yes?"

The Doctor paid close attention on the mob, his eyes fixating on the weapons in their hands.

"No, I will not join you, because it's suicide! The Guardians are now almost flawless, just as Jakob said, and he is telling the complete truth! I hate to tell you all this, but this is the harsh truth. Your weapons will do nothing, but the Guardians will act and every single one of you will join the body count!"

"That is a sacrifice we are prepared to make, Doctor! Even if we take out just one Guardian or two, which is potentially another ten lives we will save in the process!"

"No, no, no, no! Listen to me, everyone in this crowd, stop sharpening your wooden knives and listen to me very carefully. If you even attempt to fight these Guardians, you will perish. I'm sorry if that sounds too dramatic, but it's true! Anyone who is considered a threat to Jakob's plan for universal conquest will be crushed! It doesn't matter who you are, Jakob is a madman, who needs to be stopped, not through military action, but through something else, namely me."

A random person in the crowd stepped forward and appealed directly to the Doctor.

"Could you stop him? Could you stop the Guardians?"

The Doctor span on the spot to direct his answer at the bystander.

"In a manner of speaking, yes. I have a plan."

Ezekiel was quick to respond to the Doctor.

"A plan? What?"

"Well, judging by what my friend here has told me about the Tower and the Guardians, I am guessing that they have one fundamental problem. They move together, they think together, they are one unit. So for that to work, there must be a link between each Guardian, controlled by a physical system, I guess, is somewhere in the Tower, at Jakob's disposal. If I can get into the Tower, I can shut down the link and the link will be broken."

It was Amy who was next to interrogate the Doctor.

"Doctor, even if you break the link, the Guardians act on their own, which is why they needed me, right?"

"Yes, but no matter what, every soldier needs orders. If the link is broken, they become headless chickens. Very heavily armoured headless chickens. Very heavily headless chickens, with big weapons and the ability to teleport. But fundamentally, headless."

Again, it was Ezekiel who took his turn to speak.

"So, we need to get you into the Tower?"

"Yes."

"How do the Guardians get here so quickly, perhaps we can use that to our advantage?"

"A simple short-range teleport device, located on their wrist."

"If we get one of these devices, you can teleport into the Tower, shut off the link and stop the Guardians?"

"I can't stop them completely; I can only make them weaker."

"Then our objective is clear, Doctor. We will lure the Guardians here, before getting a teleport device into your possession. PEOPLE! OUR MISSION IS CLEAR!"

The crowd chanted and lifted their weapons into the air. The Doctor raised a quick smile, before excitedly adjusting his sonic screwdriver, whilst Amy rushed to his side.

"Doctor, when they say 'lure', they mean?"

"Exactly that, I can use the screwdriver to send out a signal, let the Guardians in on our position, then Big Zeke and his band of freedom fighters will do their part."

"You said yourself; they would be slaughtered if they fight!"

"There's a difference between fighting these things and resisting them. It will take me ten minutes at maximum to locate and disable the link, because I'm that damn good. From there, they can take the Guardians, who will have no idea what they were meant to be doing in the first place."

There was a real sense of intensity in Ezekiel's eyes, which had gathered his people together and was rallying them together.

"Friends and neighbours, the time is here! Far too long, we have lived in this dystopia, fearing our own leader and the Guardians. But now, we are poised to break his regime! We must resist, rather than just accept our fates! If we are successful, our new arrival can end this, once and for all! Our children will live in a world free from fear! That is the ultimate goal! In the name of all who have fallen at Jakob's hand, we… will… resist!"

Again, the crowd chanted and Ezekiel looked over his shoulder to the Doctor, who nodded to show he was ready.

"It's time! Take defensive positions and aim to take the Guardian's wrist devices, they are vital to our freedom!"

The crowd split into well-organised groups and took their positions. They were located in a dead-end, meaning the Guardians would arrive nearby and attack from one direction. Ezekiel nodded to the Doctor again, who lifted his screwdriver into the air and the blue light flickered, as the signal was sent.

Across the city, the Guardians were marching on foot to find the Doctor. They were interrupted by the signal that the Doctor sent, as one of the main Guardians ordered a team of them to track the source. They were now familiar with the tactics of battle, thanks to their newly-updated intelligence, so they were careful about sending too many men to what might be a decoy. The squad of Guardians directed the signal to their wrist devices, analysed the data and teleported to the source. They disappeared again in the flash of white light, whilst the rest of the Guardians continued their search on-foot, street by street, shack by shack.

The Doctor was ready and waiting with Ezekiel, who was patiently waiting for the Guardian's arrival. Then, as expected, there was a series of flashing white lights and the familiar figures of the Guardians appeared in each light. Ezekiel lifted the rusty, metal pole in his hands above his head and charged forwards, as the rest of his people followed…


	14. Resistance

Ezekiel and his band of fighters fought with tremendous force, swinging their poles and spears and knives at the unsuspecting Guardians, who were forced to hold out in the middle of the melee. They pushed the resistance out, before loading their weapons, dropping onto a knee for accuracy and firing at the men. The bolts of pure energy coursed through their bodies, as they fell lifelessly onto the hard ground, smashing their faces onto the gravel surface. But that did not faze Ezekiel. As the rest of his people backed away and hid, Ezekiel used his massive size to overpower one of the lone Guardians, lifted his rusty pole into the air and smashed it into the right arm of the Guardian. It met the metal-plated armour with an almighty crunch, causing the Guardian to call out in pain. Ezekiel had sent the pole through the Guardian's armour, and its wrist had unattached from its arm. The end of the arm was broken, with sparks of electricity fizzing out and wires left to sway out the metal shell. Ezekiel seized on his advantage and pushed the Guardian onto its back with his foot, and grabbed the Guardian's broken wrist and hand from the floor, calling out to the Doctor.

"Doctor! CATCH!"

Ezekiel shifted his immense weight backwards and propelled the Guardian's wrist through the air, straight in the Doctor's direction. The Doctor almost fumbled the catch, but clung onto it with his bony fingers. The Doctor looked up to acknowledge Ezekiel, but one of the Guardians had aimed in the direction of big Zeke, who hadn't noticed. The Doctor tried calling out to him, but it was too little, too late. The Guardian had fired his weapon and the blast travelled through Ezekiel's thick body, like a pen through paper. The triumphant look on his face went blank; as he stumbled forward towards the Doctor, hand on his chest. Ezekiel managed a few more steps, before falling onto one knee. He looked up at the Doctor from a distance and nodded slightly, then collapsed onto his stomach with a thunderous sound, as big Zeke's sheer amount of weight was sent plummeting onto the floor.

Amy was shouting at the Doctor, trying to pull him away from the fight, but he seemed completely oblivious. The Doctor's eyes were fixated on big Zeke's corpse, amongst the majority of his brothers.

"Doctor! We've got to go!"

The survivors of the battle had gone into full retreat, fleeing the team of Guardians, who were still as strong as when they started. The crowds of people were running down every street, alley and hiding in every nook and cranny in the city. Amy was anxious to not be caught by the Guardians, as she grabbed the Doctor's shaking hand and led him away from the courtyard. At first, he stayed still, but after a brief period of time, the Doctor snapped out of his state and followed Amy in the opposite direction. As they were running away, several bolts of energy lashed against the metal shacks they passed. The Guardians were onto to them. The Doctor and Amy darted down the narrow streets and kept turning corners to try and lose the pursuing Guardians. Suddenly, the Doctor stopped and pulled Amy into a tight gap between two shacks. The Doctor pulled Amy's waist close to his own and put his finger on her lips, telling her to be quiet. With her hands placed on the Doctor's chest, they both stared at one another, before diverting their attention to the street, where the Guardians unknowingly passed the Doctor and Amy. The two breathed a sigh of relief, sneaking out of their tight spot and slipping down another side-alley.

With a bit more space to breathe, the Doctor slid the all-important wrist device from the Guardian's dismembered hand, adjusting it around his own wrist. Using the sonic screwdriver to adjust the device, the Doctor placed his hand on Amy's shoulder and pressed a button on the device. They were instantly plunged into the white light of the teleport, a first time experience for Amy, who was unconscious last time. She struggled with the strain of the teleport, and when they appeared in the Tower, she fell onto the floor, holding her head. The Doctor, who dealt with it better than last time, pulled Amy to her feet, and tinkered with his sonic screwdriver. He clutched it with both hands and pointed it in front of him, spinning around on his feet to follow the rhythmic beeping of the sonic screwdriver. He found the 'sweet spot' and started to follow the corridor in that direction.

"Pond, this way!"

She awkwardly stepped toward the Doctor, who had gone trotting off down the corridor. They appeared to be on a different floor to last time, since the corridor had no prison cells or windows, just the lift at the end and a large number of doors on each side of the corridor. The Doctor followed his screwdriver, before arriving at the fourth door on the right. The Doctor tried to turn the handle, but it was obviously locked. He then tried to use the sonic screwdriver, which hummed, but the lock did not turn.

"Deadlock seal! The sonic's kryptonite! This is obviously it!"

Shaking the handle to try and get in, the Doctor was getting increasingly frustrated. In a wave of bottled-up anger and desperation, the Doctor took a step backwards and charged into the door with his foot, repeatedly kicking the wooden door, causing it to splinter and break. Amy joined in, using the sharp end of her boots to break through the grains of wood, until the Doctor could squeeze his hand through the gap and undo the seal, pushing the door open with full force and smashing into the wall behind it. The Doctor rushed inside, before he froze on the spot.

"Doctor? What's wrong?"

Amy also rushed into the room, but she found herself stopping in her tracks. Inside, covering the entire room was a squad of Guardians. They stood in perfect formation, completely still, attached to a computer nearest the Doctor by a series of wires. As the Doctor and Amy waited in silence, the Guardians did not move. The Doctor slowly stepped forward, towards the computer at the front of the room. Nothing from the Guardians. The Doctor started to loosen up and motioned to Amy, who followed him. The Doctor looked around the room, before shouting out.

"HA!"

Again, there was nothing.

"Just as I thought, Amelia, just shells. Shells with no mind, no intelligence. No life. Just suits of armour, waiting for something, a consciousness to fill it.

The Doctor sat in front of the computer, which sprang into life when he started to touch keys on the board. Amy cautiously walked around the sleeping army of Guardians, and happened to notice a loose arm on the floor. She slowly lowered herself to the floor to see a man in a white, lab coat, motionless on the floor. His coat had a burn mark in the middle of it, as did his chest. Amy turned the man onto his back and looked at his face, its expression blank under the wrinkled eyes and cheeks.

"Doctor?"

"Working!"

"There's someone here."

"What do you mean, 'someone'?"

"A man in a lab coat. Looks like he's been shot in the chest."

The Doctor stopped tapping the keyboard and bounced to his feet to join Amy. He inspected the body, before the Doctor ran his hand through the thick mass of hair on his head, leaving it tall and fluffy.

"Looks like a scientist."

"I recognise him, Doctor. When Jakob had me, he was the one that was attaching wires to my head. He actually seemed nice. Sympathetic."

"Jakob's scientist. Probably the real creator of the Guardians. Jakob may have had the ideas. But, this was the one who gave them life. Struck down by his creations, probably at Jakob's hand. Everywhere Jakob goes, there's a trail of bodies behind him. Well, no more."

With that, the Doctor went back to work on the computer, furiously smashing keys as the screen continuously scrolled, with the amount of information going into it. The Doctor was getting faster and faster, before peaking and ceremoniously pressing the last button.

"GOT IT! HA!"

The wires around the room started to make loud, cracking noises, before the sound of the computer died down to a low humming and the screen went black.

"Is it done, Doctor?"

"Oh Amelia, the link… is officially broken. Right now, the Guardians are orderless, missionless and completely in-the-dark, so ultimately… defenseless."

"Not completely, Doctor."

The Doctor and Amy suddenly turned their heads toward the broken door, where the familiar voice of Jakob had come from. He was standing in the doorway, with a look that could kill and a revolver in his hand.


	15. The Final Phase

"I'm not finished, Doctor."

Jakob lifted his revolver and pointed it towards the Doctor, who stood up straight and his eyes widened. Amy was next to the Doctor, but Jakob was not pointing the gun at her. She was just a bystander in this confrontation.

"Jakob, it's over. The link is broken. Destroyed. Gone. Your Guardians are sitting ducks, and I bet, right now, your people are tearing them apart, wire by wire, limb by limb."

"Doesn't matter Doctor, they were just the prototypes. Now, I have the information needed to rebuild them on a grander scale. This is just the beginning. The Guardians will be reborn, again."

The Doctor interrupted Jakob, making the sound of a buzzer.

"Ergh! Wrong. It's taken you years to create your army, but a matter of hours to destroy it. No matter what, you can't rebuild that army in quicker time. I used the combination of my sonic screwdriver and my fierce intelligence to wipe all data on your network. It never existed. That means you would have to start again. Every single mechanism, every single strand of data and all your research would have to be redone. How long would that take you? Hmm…"

"If starting from scratch is what I have to do, then so be it."

"Oh, give up. It will take you years to rebuild the Guardians, and I don't think you are going to last until the end of the day."

Jakob's thoughts turned to his people. The Doctor noticed this and seized on it.

"Oh. You'd forgot about them, didn't you? All this time, you thought I was your biggest threat. But, you forgot about your own people. You sent your entire army of Guardians into the city. Someone, somewhere must have realised you are defenseless. This Tower is no longer your fortress; it's your hiding place. Once the people of Inculta are finished with your army, they will descend upon this place, full of fire and anger and blood. They witnessed your massacre of their friends and family and neighbours and they will have one thought in mind… revenge. The typical response from a human, who has seen fellow humans struck down before them. One of the human race's greatest flaws. The need for revenge."

"My people fear me. They won't attack me."

"Again, you are wrong. Out there, deep in the city, your people are attacking your army, an uprising on a monumental scale. Today has seen your people realise that you, Jakob, the almighty leader, is not as powerful as they thought."

"If that is to happen, Doctor, then I will personally ensure you join me."

Jakob spun the barrel of his revolver and it clicked into place. He confidently strided towards the Doctor and put the gun to his forehead. Amy tried to rush towards Jakob, but the Doctor put his hand out to stop her. Jakob smiled and looked down on the Doctor, who kept a smile on his own face, even lifting his eyebrows before dropping them again.

"You seem so happy; Doctor, happy to face the end."

"As are you."

Just as Jakob started to pull the trigger, his focus was interrupted by a large rumble. The room started to shake and from down the corridor outside, a bell pinged. The Doctor laughed and spoke in a sarcastic tone.

"Lift doors are opening, angry mob arriving."

Jakob was torn between his execution of the Doctor and his people outside. The Doctor took advantage of Jakob's loss of concentration, as he grabbed Amy's hand and fiddled with his wrist device. The Doctor and Amy disappeared in a burst of light. Jakob realised this and squeezed the trigger of his revolver, sending a bullet flying in the direction of the Doctor. However, the Doctor was gone and the bullet ricocheted off the wall at the back of the room. Outside the room, a rabble was approaching, as several loud, almost chanting voices approached the door. The chants were clear enough to make out the words: 'Jakob's gone! Jakob's gone! Jakob's gone!' Jakob rushed around the room to try and find an escape, but there was nothing. Then, he checked the number of bullets in the barrel of his revolver, but there was only three more. At that point, Jakob stopped his frenzied movements and dropped his revolver onto the floor, as it smashed onto the hard ground and lay to next to his feet. Jakob slowly shut his eyes and put his hands in the air, waiting for the inevitable.

The Doctor and Amy were teleported away from the Tower, and dropped onto the floor beneath them. However, the ground was different. It wasn't a rocky surface; instead it was a cold, metal grill-like surface. Amy rolled off her side and onto her back, and she noticed the unfamiliar sight of the TARDIS console, which hummed nonchalantly. They were back. The Doctor groaned, as the aches and pains of their first alien journey came to him. Amy used the nearby stairs to pull herself up, before sitting on one of them and stretching out. The Doctor leant against the console, opposite Amy, who broke the silence.

"It's over?"

"Yes. I managed to lock the teleport onto the TARDIS, let down the defences with the sonic screwdriver and here we are."

"Well, that was certainly eventful."

"Yes, a bit heavy for a first adventure."

"Oh, you mean with the imprisonment, the experiments and the general lack of hope?"

"I'm sorry, Amelia. Truly, I am."

"Oh, it wasn't your fault. Besides, some parts were fun." 

"You mean, like the beginning?"

"Pretty much."

The Doctor smiled, before turning around and pressing buttons on the console. Amy then moved onto a different part of the conversation.

"What will happen to Jakob?"

The Doctor calmly carried on pressing buttons, before coolly answering Amy's question.

"Revenge."

"And you're OK with that?"

After a brief period of silence, during which the Doctor carried on playing with the TARDIS console, he spoke again.

"No. But it was out of my hands. I had to think of us, I had to get us of there."

"But, if we left Jakob to the people, what makes us better than him?"

The Doctor's voice raised and he spoke with a harsh, straight voice.

"Nothing, we are just as bad as Jakob for leaving him to their mercy! But that, Amy, sums up my life. Welcome to space travel."

And that was that, as the Doctor pulled up on the lever which was essentially the handbrake, and the TARDIS jumped into life, groaning as the police box faded away from the rocky, planet surface and disappeared up and above Inculta's emerald sky. The light was still as bright as ever, and a violent sandstorm was brewing on the desert planet. The Incultians were free from their oppression. Their leader had fallen. Life was restarting on Inculta.


	16. OOC: Summary

So, that's that, my first ever completed fanfic. Thanks to all the support I got throughout, whether you reviewed my work, or subscribed to my story, or me in general. As I said in my previous OOC update, I am already planning my next story and it's going to be a much darker, horror-type adventure, both in terms of the setting and the plot. And I will be running with the highly-original, cliche title of 'The Longest Night'.

It will take me a few days to write the first, few chapters, where I will see if it works. If it does, I'll publish it, but if I find myself running into dead-ends, then I won't. So, if you enjoyed my first story and want to hear more from me, then put on Author Alert, or keep your eye on the DW section.

Again, thanks for encouraging me to finally finish a story and watch this space.

**MACHISMO - OOOHHH YEAHHH.**


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